A speech-enabled environment is one in which a user can speak a query or command aloud and a computer-based system will obtain the query, answer the query, and/or cause the command to be performed using speech recognition techniques. The speech-enabled environment may include a network of connected microphone devices distributed throughout the various rooms or areas of the environment. A user has the power to orally query the computer-based system from essentially anywhere in the speech-enabled environment without the need to have a computer or other device in front of him/her or even nearby. For example, while getting dressed in the morning, a user might ask the computer-based system “what's the temperature outside?” and, in response, receive an answer from the system, e.g., in the form of synthesized voice output. In other examples, a user might ask the computer-based system questions such as “what time does my favorite restaurant open?” or “where is the nearest gas station?”